


Backwoods

by liquid_dreams



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Multi, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-05-09
Packaged: 2018-06-07 10:06:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6799498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liquid_dreams/pseuds/liquid_dreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All Eren Jäger wanted to do was to sell his old home and move on with life. How should he have known that the ghosts of the past are so clingy? Modern AU where the crew gets to relax slightly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Two hours into the drive and Eren remembers why he hates public transport and buses in particular. The smell of cold smoke seems to have sunk into the faded seat fabric, which is an ugly brown to match its odor. He feels every bump as the ancient bus rattles along the lonely country road. He tries to distract himself by gazing out of the windows, but there isn't much to see. Endless wheat fields stretch out under a grey sky that promises rain later. Sometimes he spots farm houses in the distance, sometimes a few gnarled trees. The sight begins to grow more familiar when the fields make room for patches of forest and small villages. He's terribly bored and checks his cellphone occasionally, but the signal is weak and his internet connection falters. He sighs at his background screen, a picture of him and Mikasa at uni, arm in arm and smiling broadly.  
It feels like it was an eternity ago. Now his adoptive sister is studying overseas at a place where she can let out her creativity and perfectionism with likeminded individuals. Eren doesn't begrudge her the decision to leave as she deserves to be happy more than anyone he knows. Remembers looking at her sketches and blueprints for the machines she designed when they were fifteen and feigning interest. Remembers her smile faltering when he failed to share her enthusiasm.   
He makes a face at his reflection and shifts on the uncomfortable seat. The area feels more familiar when the bus becomes encompassed by dense forest on both sides. It's dark between the trees. After a while he begins to feel sleepy. The young man grabs his discarded jacket and bunches it up before he puts it between the window and his head. A sea of tree trunks and leaves swims before his tired eyes. He hasn't caught a wink of sleep since he got off the train. Eren takes a deep breath and foces his tense muscles to relax. On the edge of sleep he thinks he sees a pair of luminous eyes between the trees. A sliver of a memory long forgotten runs through his brain. 

_They're in a clearing in the woods behind their house. It's night but the full moon is so bright he can see perfectly. His father's stern pale face above him as he grabs his arm. Fear trickling down his spine at the broken look in his eyes._

_They've taken your mother. I won't let them take you, too._

_Stop it! You're scaring me, dad!_

_His left sleeve yanked up, exposing a thin arm. Suddenly there's a syringe in his father's hand and Eren starts struggling in earnest, panicked by the sight of the gleaming needle. His father starts crying, but he doesn't let go. His lips are moving and he says-_

"Oi back there! You hear what I said?!"

Eren jerks awake in his seat and blinks the images away, focusing on the pair of grey eyes staring at him in the rear mirror instead. The bus driver 's weathered face splits in a good natured grin that deepens the wrinkles around his eyes.

"Sorry, I didn't catch that."

"I said it's getting late and the next stop is a small backwater town called Marienwall."

Eren nods slowly, notices the way the smile drains out of the driver's eyes. "At this rate we can make it to Rosenburg in a little over an hour. That's a nice medieval town. Attracts lots of tourists and I hear that they're gonna start digging up the old castle ruins this summer."

"Awesome," he replies. "I'm getting off at Marienwall, though."

The bus driver's brows furrow when he glances at him through the mirror again. Eren's stomach growls and he's painfully reminded that he ate his last sandwiches on the train. Thankfully he packed a small pack of peanuts and tears it open hungrily. It's quiet for a moment as he stuffs his mouth and ignores the looks sent his way. The bus driver is starting to get on his nerves with his ominous expression. He raises his brows in challenge at the old man.

"Ah, forget it," the bus driver mutters.

"Something wrong?" 

It's apparently the right question. The bus driver slows down so he can glance at him over his shoulder without risking their lives. His face is tan and what remains of his grey hair is gathered on his temples. He looks a little nervous, Eren thinks.

"Look, boy, I normally don't gossip and I believe in the Lord like any good Christian fella."

Eren leans forward curiously and gives him a short nod. The bus driver looks back out front, but it's a straight road through acres of forest and he's keeping the wheel still. Then he glances back at Eren and shakes his head.

"That town always gives me the creeps when I'm drivin' through. Something's not right there. They're in with the devil, I tell ya. Heard they don't even have a church anymore."

A shiver runs down Eren's back at the old man's genuinely spooked tone. He remembers that there was a fire that destroyed the church. Why hadn't they rebuilt?

"Maybe it's too expensive, especially for such a small village."

"I don't think so. I think -and don't quote me on this- I think they don't want it rebuilt."

"That's quite an accusation," Eren replies lightly.

He doesn't remember much of his childhood home. The memories are blurry in his head, but the woodland around them feels familiar on a primal level. He knows they're getting close. Judging by the increasing discomfort of the bus driver he knows it, too. His knuckles are white on the steering wheel as they round a curve and the weathered welcome sign pops into view. Despite the bus driver's prejudice Eren feels a tingle of excitement in his guts. He hasn't been here for seven years and he wonders if anyone will remember him.   
The buildings are small and tidy for the most part. Few people are out at this hour, but the bar they pass is brightly lit and shades of people are moving behind the colored glass. The bus driver slows down in the center of town, which is a large square that is definitely the market place. There are street lights everywhere and Eren feels safe standing up and grabbing his suitcase from the seat behind him. There are no other occupants left in the bus. He goes to the front and waits for the driver to open the doors. The old man stays in his seat, finger hovering over the button. He slowly looks up at Eren and there is pure dread on his face. It looks odd as there is nothing disturbing about this sleepy little town, he thinks. It feels like his spirit is being rejuvenated by just being here as he glances out at all the little houses surrounding the square and the small fountain the the center of the market place. Nothing sinister at all.

"You don't feel it?" The old man asks quietly. 

Eren sighs and shakes his head. "Look, I just wanna get out, alright? I haven't been back in years."

"Back?" The old man's eyes narrow with suspicion. "You mean you are from here?"

"Yes."

The doors open. Eren blinks, mildly startled. The bus driver isn't looking at him anymore. 

"Maybe that's why. Go, get out already."

The sudden hostility in his voice startles Eren, who nearly trips down the two stairs as he lugs his heavy suitcase out. The doors close in front of his face. He's not sure, but he thinks he sees the bus driver cross himself as he speeds off. The young man shakes his head with bemusement and takes another look around. There is a small motel nearby so that's where he's headed. It would be no use to go back to his old house this late as he isn't sure what to expect. Maybe all he'll find will be moth eaten furniture and cobwebs. Maybe there's a crazy squatter who'll attack him. He does remember that their house is at the end of a small side street close to the forest. It's a nice two story home with enough space for a family of four. He idly wonders if there is still blood on the floorboards, then jerks to a halt. His heart's pounding because he doesn't know where that came from. Doesn't remeber why there would be blood. He's racking his brain, but there are just blanks. Eren swallows and keeps going.   
The motel is small like the rest of town. The wooden sign is weathered and the paint is cracked, but the rearing horse is still recognizable. The Old Mare Inn is surprisingly homely. There's a small reception desk in the lobby. An older woman is sitting behind it with her head propped on her hand as she's leafing through a magazine when he enters. She's wearing a white apron over a lavender blouse with her greying brown hair tied up in a knot. A doorbell jingles when he goes in and the woman blinks up, exposing dark bags under amber eyes. 

"Welcome to the Old Mare," she says automatically.

Eren decides he likes her voice, warm with a soothing undertone. He grins and hauls his suitcase up towards the desk.

"Good evening, ma'am. I'd like to rent a room for the night."

"Sure. We've got plenty of space," she squints at him and sits up straight. "Do you want the one overlooking the forest or one that's facing the square?"

"Either is fine, really." Eren digs around in his backpack for his wallet, but it's kind of hard to see under the dim light.

There's only one lamp on above the desk, leaving the rest of the lobby in twilight. It would be spooky if it didn't look like a cozy livingroom. 

"Hmm. You look sort of familiar. Have you been here before?" She asks suddenly. 

Eren fishes out his black leather wallet and gives her a questioning look. "Used to live here. How much for the room?"

The innkeeper's brows furrow lightly. "That'll be 35 Mark, please."

They exchange money for a key and Eren thanks her before he begins to carry his case up the creaky stairs. The second floor's walls are covered with dark brown paneling and the occasional landscape picture. Eren's room is on the left and when he unlocks the door he finds that she gave him the room facing the market place. There's a single narrow bed, a dresser and a table with one chair. Despite the spartan furnishings he feels right at home. The tired young man shoves his suitcase in the corner, yawns deeply and draws the curtains shut to keep out the orange street lights. He fumbles around in the dark until his hands find the lamp on his bedside table and light it. He slips out of his clothes and into bed, too tired to do anyhing else. When he turns off the light and sinks into the surprisingly soft mattress he decides that coming back was the right choice.


	2. Chapter 2

His mouth tastes like something died in it when he wakes up. Eren strongly regrets not brushing his teeth and rubs at his eyes. Judging by the pale light that filters through the cracks in the curtains it's early morning. The young man stretches and gets up to hunt down his toothbrush. Ever since Mikasa left he's had trouble keeping track of his things. Aunt Martha and uncle Theodor have been very kind and accomodating, taking them both in after their father disappeared. He always felt kind of bad for the messes he left, so he simply stuffed all his things in his suitcase. It isn't like he owns a lot of clothes anyway.  
He sits the suitcase down and unzips it. Crumpled shirts and two pairs of spare pants pour out. At the very bottom lies his toothbrush, a little to the left a half full tube of toothpaste. Eren decides that's good enough and goes to the small bathroom he'd spotted down the hallway. It's just as small as his bedroom and the toilet is next to the shower. Eren looks at himself in the mirror as he scrubs his teeth. His unruly dark brown hair is growing longer again. There's a pimple below his jaw, a reminder that puberty wasn't that long ago. It's unfair, really. He's eighteen now, a legal adult, he shouldn't have to deal with this anymore. Eren watches his green eyes narrow as he thinks ahead and goes over the plan he made with Mikasa over the phone. 

They're going to sell the house. Neither of them want to deal with the emotional baggage attached to it. Eren hasn't seen his father since they left Marienwall seven years ago. The letter had been a surprise. Loads of stamps on the front, all from different countries. It had informed him politely that his father had passed on and left the house to him. Attached was a copy of his father's will. Signed by a notary and a law office with a foreign name he couldn't even pronounce. At first he had been angry, tempted to tear it apart and never have anything to do with it again, but Mikasa convinced him. Neither of them inherited any money. They're going to sell the place and split the cash to fund their own lives. Eren is going to check up on the house and make sure it hasn't suffered any structural damage, then he's going to contact a realtor.  
He doesn't expect to stay longer than a week and frankly he doesn't want to. He may not remember much before his eleventh birthday, but it doesn't matter. Marienwall is a nice little town much more rurual than Trost and he's feeling pretty good about himself, but he's under no illusion that this is doing him any favors. Aunt Martha had dragged him to see a therapist once, because she was worried about his mental health. Terms like 'amnesia' and 'PTSD' had been thrown around, making his aunt look sad and horrified. It's been terribly boring and the gist of what Eren got out of the session was that he should avoid any triggers and move on with his life. 

He already screwed up on the avoiding triggers part so he figured that he might as well face the beast head on. There is a lot wrong with him, but Eren's never been a coward. When he comes down to the lobby, now lit brightly by the sun streaming into the windows, the receptionist is humming along to a pop song while she's tapping something into her computer. Eren greets her politely, which makes her glance up with an absent smile. Then she takes a closer look at his face and her eyes widen.

"Eren? Eren Jäger? Is that you?!" She gasps, fingers frozen over the keyboard.

"Huh? Yeah, that's me." Eren rubs his head with a small grin. "You remeber me, miss?"

"I'm Gertrud Kirschstein. Jean's mom." She's positively beaming now. "You remember my boy? He'll be thrilled that you're back! You used to get along so well."

Eren's brain automatically tells him that that's not quite true, but he doesn't remeber shit so he keeps his mouth shut. She seems like a nice enough lady, but sort of overbearing. His therapist's voice is ringing in his brain, asking 'What do you remeber? Do you remember?' over and over again like a broken record. It's making him a little nauseous. Eren looks at the front door and wants to bolt. 

"What's wrong, dear? You look a little pale." Mrs. Kirschstein's voice is full of concern and it's suddenly too much.

His tongue feels leaden as he looks between her knitted brows and the dark brown wooden door. 

"I just-"

The door flies open and smacks agains the wall so hard it makes a picture frame rattle. Eren's blinded by the sunlight for a few beats, then he sees the small boy standing in the door. Several metal contraptions are stacked in his arms. Eren can see bits of blond hair through the gaps along with one sky blue eye. 

"Mrs. Kirschstein!" A bright voice calls, louder than expected. "I brought more traps!"

Mrs. Kirschstein beams and gets up to hurry around the desk and lighten the smaller boy's load. They look like modified bear traps with additional wires and sharp parts. He shudders because those things look like small medieval torture devices. The boy smiles gratefully and wipes at a black smudge on his cheeks before he notices Eren. His big blue eyes widen and his mouth forms an o.

"E-Eren?" He croaks.

He's starting to feel like a VIP, since everyone seems to know him. He forces a grin and nods once. The boy lets out a whoop and rushes over. He throws his arms around Eren and buries his face in his chest. Eren startles at the sudden contact, but looking down at the smaller boy's head he can't help but feel touched that this display of genuine joy is for him. He gives him a one-armed hug until the smaller boy lets go. Are those fucking tears at the corners of his eyes? 

"It's been so long! I-I missed you." His voice wobbles. 

The dark smudge is gone and Eren gets the sinking feeling it's on his white shirt now. The blond looks so genuinely happy that it gives him a small pang, because he doesn't remember him.

"Yeah. I uh," he glances at Mrs. Kirschstein, who's started to inspect the traps with an expert eye. "What are those for? You got bears around here now?"

"No," his expression darkens. "Worse. Much worse."

What? Eren gulps and feels a chill run down his spine. The boy shakes his head and grabs his hand, which startles him. No one but Mikasa has touched him so intimately in a long time. He ignores his surprise and begins to tug him outside. 

"I'll send Jean over with the payment later," Mrs. Kirschstein calls after them.

"Thanks," the kid waves at her and then they're out the door.

Eren snatches his hand back, which earns him a curious look that he misses because the town is simply beautiful in daylight. It looks like it's been taken straight form a postcard or something. The boy leads the way down an alley between houses and into a smaller street. For such a small guy he's surprisingly fast and he has to walk briskly to keep up. When they're in front of a nice little two story home with a close to overgrowing frontyard he stops abruptly. He faces Eren with a serious expression. 

"Where are we?"

"Um," Eren squints at the house and back to the blond. "This is your house?"

"You sound unsure."

He can't help the grin growing on his face. That boy is sharp. Eren decides that he deserves honesty at least. 

"I don't remeber my life in this town, only what happened after I left. It's all a jumble in my brain."

The suspicion clears out of the boy's expression, replaced by a sort of downtrodden look that's not much better. Eren feels weirdly bad then pissed off for feeling bad. He doesn't have to apologize for his past experiences. That's one of the few things of value he learned in therapy. 

"Oh. That explains.. well," his brows knit together and Eren can practically see the gears turning in his head. "Is it safe to ask you stuff, or would that make it worse?"

"I'm not a fucking raw egg," Eren retorts, put off. 

"I know, Eren. We've been friends for a long time. I just. I don't want to hurt you accidentally." He looks at his feet and bites his lip. "My name is Armin. I'm.. I was.. your best friend. It's been lonely, without you and Mikasa around."

Eren's temper drains out of him and he sighs, looking down the row of timber-framed houses.

"I'm staying for a week. You seem like a cool guy and I wouldn't mind hanging out with you in the meantime."

"Really?!" Armin's eyes brighten as he looks up at Eren. "Awesome!"

"I just have one question." Eren raises an eyebrow. "What're those mean traps for?"

"Ugh," the smaller boy's nose scrunches up in disgust. "Thespians."

"Excuse me?"

"They've got a nest somewhere in the woods. The Guard is doing their best to keep them at bay, but those slippery bastards keep getting away. It's a real plague."

"T-thespians?" Eren repeats weakly.

Armin blinks. "Oh. Right. You don't... Just don't go wander into the woods alone and you'll be fine."

"I don't understand. You mean actual thespians are hiding in the bushes? That's a joke, right?"

"You wish," the blond replies darkly. 

Eren's mouth opens and closes a few times as he scans Armin's face for any sign of mischief. What kind of town's plagued by wild actors? Besides L.A.?

"Don't go into the woods alone. If you meet one talk Shakespearian to them. Leave a few vegetables out in the garden or they'll ruin your flower patches in search of food." Armin recites dutifully, as if he's said the lines a thousand times. "That's what our parents taught us. Every child learns a few poems and sonnets, just in case."

"Right. I'm pretty hungy. How about breakfast?" Eren states blandy, trying to erase this conversation from his mind.

Armin shrugs. "Sure. Chef Blouse makes a mean batch of pancakes."

They head in direction of the market, but Armin veers into a sidestreet which leads down another row of houses and towards a diner. Above the entrance is a huge neon sign of a laughing goose, which gives Eren the creeps. That fucking goose's eyes are dead and black due to broken lights and it has two disturbingly muscular arms that hold a knife and fork. 

"What kind of weird place is this? The fuck is that sign?!" Eren asks loudly once they're inside.

"Oh, that? Was all Sasha's idea. When she was five, apparently. Ask Chef Blouse and she'll tell you the story in great detail. Or better yet, don't ask."

'Don't ask' sounds like the general rule around here. Eren wonders if the town's always been this weird liminal space between reality and the twilight zone. There aren't a lot of people inside and most of them look half-asleep. On a table by the windows sit two teenagers apparently engaged in an eating contest. The counter is empty save for a vase full of wilted tulips. Armin sits down at a table, looking supremely unconcerned with the lack of service. One of the teenagers looks up with her cheeks stuffed like a hamster. The brunette's eyes light up when she spots Armin and her stuffed mouth attempts a smile, which makes bits of pancake drop on the table. Eren's brows twitch in disgust. Armin grins at him and shakes his head.

"That's Sasha," he says fondly.

Eren is not surprised. The boy who sits with his back to them twists around. His eyes are huge and full of mirth, his mouth as stuffed as Sasha's. He's spotting a buzzcut that makes his eyes look even bigger and almost manic. He opens his mouth and tries to say something, but then he grabs his throat and starts choking, spraying bits of pancake in their direction. Fortunately they're seperated by two tables. Eren's face scrunches up, but he can feel himseelf starting to crack up. The boy turns a bit blue as he coughs and sputters. Sasha almost leaps over the table to start pounding on his back.

"Connie, you idiot," she half-yells, half-laughs as she slaps his back. "You're making a mess! Mom's gonna slap ya with a spoon!" 

Armin hides his chuckles behind his fist. Eren grins because it's adorable, but his head whips around when he hears a catcall. Sasha and Connie, now with empty mouths, wear identical impish expressions.

"Wow, Armin."

"You're so lucky!"

"Eh?!"

"Nice catch," Sasha smirks while she gives Eren a very obvious once over.

"N-no you got it totally wrong!" Armin yelps, totally blushing. "That's Eren!"

"The guy you were pining over for years? Good on you!" Connie cackles.

"Actually, we used to be childhood friends," Eren injects dryly. 

"Awww, really?" Sasha croons.

"Yeah. I just came back to settle some matters."

"What d'you mean?" Armin turns to frown curiously at him. 

Eren glances to the side and lifts one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. "Family business."

It's not a lie and besides he doesn't feel like sharing all of his Tragic Past™ with these strangers. Armin gives him a look that says they're not done talking about this, which he promptly ignores. The door slides open with a hiss. Four heads turn in unison to take in the tall broad shouldered man that enters the diner. If his physical height wasn't intimidating enough, his presence seem to make the room shrink around him. He has neatly parted blond hair, thick eyebrows and ice blue eyes that reveal absolutely nothing. He smiles pleasantly when he notices the attention he's getting. When his eyes meet Eren's sea green ones, he pauses and takes a closer look. That's the only reaction that indicates he's surprised to see him. After a few seconds he strides over to his and Armin's table, where he pauses. 

"Good morning," is the first thing he says.

Eren blinks once before he replies warily. "Morning." He's not breaking eye contact with the stranger, but in his periphery he can see Armin tense up. 

"I'm Erwin Smith, mayor of Marienwall."

"Eren. Jäger," he adds quickly, angry at his slip up.

Erwin blinks once before he smiles and leans down toward him. He rests one hand on Eren's tense shoulder as he brings his head up besides him. Eren is frozen to the spot, stunned by this bold action. All he can register is that Erwin smells like wood and something metallic. 

"Sie sind das Essen und wir sind die Jäger," he whispers into Eren's ear.

"Wh-" before he can get a word out, Erwin's already straightened up and smiling calmly as if he hadn't just gotten close and personal with him to mumble nonsense into his ear. 

"I hope you have a pleasant stay in our little town," Erwin states all businesslike. 

Something flashes through his eyes, but it's gone before Eren can make sense of anything. He blinks slowly, sluggishly and thinks that although Erwin was speaking directly into his ear he didn't feel the pufts of warm air that should've accompanied his words. Then the tall man heads over to the counter where a wrapped package is already waiting for him. He picks it up, fishes a bill out of his coat pocket and lays it down before he heads out. Eren is dimly aware of Connie's drawn out "Ooooh", followed by a thunk and a muttered "Shut up." He gapes for a bit before reality trickles back in. Those words.. where has he heard them before? A dull headache is building up behind his temples. He decides that he does not like Erwin, like at all.


	3. Chapter 3

"What's an English guy doing being a mayor of a tiny backwater town in Germany?" Eren asks petulantly once they leave the diner and sit down on a bench with a nice view of the ominously dark forest. 

"His family's lived here for ages," Armin replies and gives Eren one of those looks, like he knows him better than he does. "You don't like him, do you?"

"He's a creep," Eren mutters darkly and takes a drink from the water bottle he bought along the way. 

"That's not.. He's pretty mysterious, but he's a good mayor. Grandfather says that thanks to him we have a lot more festivals than we used to."

"Pfft." Eren stares hard at the tall trees and finishes his water. 

Armin sighs quietly and smiles, but it looks forlorn. Eren's eyes land on the trashcan across the street and an idea strikes him. 

"Hey Armin. Bet you I can hit the trashcan from here."

"No way," Armin scoffs, somber mood forgotten as he eyes the distance. "That's at least five meters."

Eren grins, because telling him he can't do something only makes him want to do the thing even more. 

"What are we betting on?" He asks and licks his teeth.

"Fine. Bet you five bucks you'll miss."

"Deal," Eren grins and aims, gripping the bottle by the cap like a throwing knife. "Here...goes!"

They watch the bottle fly and start to drop. Eren leans forward in anticipation, Armin mirroring him. The bottle begins to descend too soon. They watch in slow motion as it hits the rim with a metallic clang and bounces off into the grass instead. Eren sighs and pulls out his wallet while Armin cheers. Suddenly there's a ring and screech. Small clumps of dirt pelt Eren's jeans. There's a short guy on a bicycle that just skidded to a stop way too close and is currently giving him one hell of a stink eye. 

"What the hell do you shitty brats think you're doing?" He snarls with more ferocity than someone wearing a silver helmet should possess.

"Who're you calling shitty?" Eren mutters rebelliously.

It earns him a pointy elbow to the ribs. "We're sorry, Corporal Levi!" Armin hurries to say after Levi's eyes narrow menacingly.

The short Asian guy kicks out his bike's kickstand with more force than neccessary. A shiver of fear trickles down Eren's back. There's a pair of wings painted on the guy's helmet above his ear. One wing is marine blue, the other white and they're crossed over each other. It looks vaguely familiar, but Eren is more focused on the menacing way the guy advances on him. He wears a deep scowl and flings his arm out to point at the water bottle.

"Can't you read, you fucking moron? That sign clearly says 'No Littering'. That goes for out of towners especially. Get off your lazy ass and put it in the trash right now."

"Y-yes, sir! I'm sorry," Eren rushes out and jumps to his feet.

That brings him face to face with Levi who is almost a head shorter than him. Levi's glare promises violence if he says anything. Eren averts his eyes and wonders vaguely why being bossed around like this doesn't raise his hackles like it usually does. It might have something to do with the guy's flinty blue-grey eyes or his weirdly immaculate looks, but probably mostly with the way he scares the living crap out of him. Eren jogs over the street and finally spots the sign Levi meant before he bends down and properly disposes of the bottle. He turns around expectantly, but only recieves a flat stare in return. 

"What do you want? A fucking cookie?" Levi grabs his bike and swings on the saddle with more grace than humanly possible. "Don't let me catch you breaking the rules again or your neck will be the next thing to break."

With that he kicks off and speeds away. Eren catches himself staring after him and wonders what just happened. 

"Ah, that's Levi," Armin says as he comes to stand beside him. "Watch out for that guy. He's Corporal of the Town Guard. They're cops. Sort of. Anyway, they keep the peace with Erwin's blessing."

"Sort-of cops? Is that even legal?!"

"Try asking them and find out," Armin suggests with raised brows that crash down into a frown when he looks at Eren. "...I wasn't being serious, you know."

Eren feels offended before he realizes that he is tempted to find out. Grudgingly he concedes that Armin has a point. He knows that he can be pretty reckless sometimes, but the image of the scowling Corporal just won't leave the forefront of his thoughts. It happens very rarely that Eren is impressed by authority figures, but when it does he wants to do everything to impress them as well. If Armin notices that he's brooding while they make their way downtown he doesn't mention it. The blond seems content with walking silently beside him, which makes Eren wonder just how much he's been missed without knowing. The friends he made in Trost certainly aren't this attached to him. It's both great and terrifying, because he doesn't think of himself as someone who's worthy of being looked at like that. Like he hung the moon and stars in the sky. Not even Mikasa looks at him like that and she's literally obsessed with protecting him. He almost asks what he did to deserve this kind of admiration, but doesn't. Eren lets himself relax and inhales deeply. The air smells earthy and fresh. It's really nice until he realizes that it's past twelve in the afternoon and he wanted to take a look at his old house. 

"Hey Armin, listen. I gotta check up on the house. You don't have to come with me, you probably have better things to do..."

"It's alright, I already did all my chores. Delivering the traps to Mrs. Kirschstein was really the last thing on my list."

"If you're sure..." Eren trails off with a shrug. 

While they're on their way it occurs to Eren that Armin probably knows what the house looks like. Interestingly enough the blond seems content to trail along silently, letting him take in his surroundings. It all feels distantly familiar, like something he's once seen in a dream. Maybe Armin just doesn't want to make this awkward for him. Eren appreciates his concern, but it's also pissing him off. He's not some delicate fucking flower, even his therapist acknowledged that. Once they're a good distance from the market and in some little side street Eren has to stop.

"Alright. I'm.. lost," he admits through gritted teeth. 

"Oh, sorry. I should've said something earlier, but you looked like you knew where you were going." Armin glances to the side. "It's not far, I'll show you."

True to his word, they make it into his old street with just a few twists and turns. Eren automatically walks slower to take in his neighbours' houses. They're unremarkable in every way, the frontyards well kept. He absently rubs his left elbow as he takes in the small street of cookie cutter houses facing the forest. At the very back he nearly comes to a stop. The house hasn't changed at all. It's fucking surreal. 

"Do you have the keys?" Armin asks with his hand on the garden door.

"Huh? Uh, yeah sure." As he's reaching into his pocket, Eren notices that his hands are trembling. 

Shit, get it together. It's been years, he thinks angrily. Armin's gonna think you're a nutcase, too.

He finally fishes out the keys. There's one for the garden gate, which opens with a creak, and then there's one for the front door. Eren stops in front of it. It feels like he's been here just yesterday. 

"Snap out of it, man," he mutters to himself and jams the key into the hole.

It opens easily. Eren takes a calming breath and steps over the entrance into a dusty house that smells of emptiness and time. Motes of dust are dancing in the sunlight that filters through dirty windows. A thick layer of grey dust covers everything. From the entrance he can see down the hallway and into the livingroom on the left. There isn't any obvious damage like mold or water stains at first glance. Armin gets in behind him and lets out a low whistle.

"Well, it could've been worse," he says with a weak grin.

Eren appreciates him even more for his weak attempt at humor. It's suddenly imperiative that he doesn't come across as unhinged to this guy. He genuinely likes him and is even considering keeping in touch once he's back home. So he does what he does best and puts on a brave face.

"Yeah well, it's dirty as hell. The new owners will have so much work on their hands."

"You're planning to sell it?" Armin's gaping at him. "Are you sure?!"

His brows twitch with confusion, because is that genuine worry on his face? Worry and apprehension? What the fuck. 

"Yeah. It's not like me and Mikasa are ever gonna move back here. We have our own lives now." Eren says with a shrug. "That's my purpose for being here. Check it, then sell it."

Armin looks like he wants to argue but then he closes his mouth and looks away, still with that distressed expression. He wonders briefly if he's overanalyzing things, seeing meaning where there is none. That has to be it, because why would Armin be so worried about him selling this house? He probably just hoped that Eren was coming back. He puts a hand on the smaller boy's shoulder and smiles.

"Relax, Armin. We'll keep in touch, yeah? I'll give you my number and you can come visit me in Trost," he assures him with a bright grin.

"Hey Eren." The sudden seriousness in his voice is a bit startling. "Have you ever wondered where you got that scar on the inside of your left elbow from?"

He flinches and instinctively touches the spot. It's covered by his jacket right now, but he knows the small white dot of scar issue that stands out against his tanned skin. Like he'd been stabbed with a very large needle. Cold sweat breaks out on his back.

"Y-yeah, so? You got any news for me there?" He asks quickly.

Armin just looks at him with this blank expression and troubled eyes that have seen some shit. It suddenly hits him what a phenomenally bad idea it was to come back to this fucking mad town. A headache is building up behind his temples and he just walks out of the door, because he can't stand being inside even one more second. The weight of memories he made in that place presses down on him, battering against his brain. There's a wall there and it won't give. It hurts. It hurts and it takes a while for Armin's voice to cut through the fog.

"Shit! Shit Eren, can you hear me? I'm so sorry. Eren, talk to me!" The blond's already high voice has turned squeaky with panic and he grabs him by the shoulders, shaking lightly.

"Hngh?" Eren blinks and suddenly he's back in the present. 

Looking right in Armin's sky blue eyes, wide with concern. "Eren! What just happened? Did I trigger you? I'm so sorry!"

"It's fine. Stop yelling, really I'm fine," Eren grumbles and brushes him off. "It's just...this fucking town."

"Eh?"

Eren shakes his head minutely and glares at the forest across the street. It's starting to feel claustrophobic, this everpresent mass of green, like they're walled in from all sides. He hates it, because it's scaring him. Armin comes to stand beside him and hesitates before he takes his hand. 

"Eren, why don't you stay at my house tonight?" He offers quietly. 

"Yeah," the brunette sighs and gives his hand a quick squeeze. 

The walk back to Armin's is quiet. No rowdy drunks, no prostitues, not even the occasional gang of teenagers out past nightfall. It's almost alarmingly peaceful and Eren can't get his hyperaware brain to shut up about it, pointing out every shadowy street corner and making him jumpy for no reason. Armin looks calm, but he's probably used to this.

"Hey Armin, how come you never see those Guard guys riding around town, yet everything's peaceful?" He asks to break the silence.

"The fact that you don't see them means that they're doing their job well."

"Huh?"

Armin shrugs. "Like today. It's like they have a nose for crime. There was once a drunk guy molesting a lady in front of our house. One of the Guard just swooped down on him out of nowhere. You didn't even hear them approaching."

"Not even on those dumb bikes?"

"No." Armin sounds like he's admiring them. "We haven't had incidents like that in years. People are too scared of Corporal Levi to act up."

Eren's brows furrow as he remembers the short guy with the piercing eyes from earlier. Something about that guy was off somehow. He couldn't pinpoint it exactly.

"Hey Armin, about that guy-"

"Let's talk inside," Armin says with a subtle glance in all directions.

Eren knows how to take a hint and shuts up until he's slipped out of his shoes and followed Armin upstairs to his room. It's unsurprisingly full of books and absolutely pristine. Armin sits down on his desk chair and offers Eren the bed to sit on. He glances around until his eyes land on a picture on the nighstand. It's him, Mikasa and Armin when they were kids. Armin follows his gaze and smiles.

"That was on the first day of summer holidays. We were planning a camping trip."

Eren smiles a little before he looks back up at Armin. "I'm sorry," he says before he can stop himself.

"No need, really. Please don't apologize, it's not your fault."

Eren nods once, then steels his expression. "About that Levi guy."

"Corporal Levi," Armin corrects instantly.

"Isn't there something weird about him?" Eren presses, watching Armin like a hawk. "That guy looks dangerous. He could make the Godfather piss his pants. A guy like that's supposed to be a cop? How's Mayor Smith involved in all this? What does he got on Levi to make him work for him?"

"Maybe they were buddies in the army," the blond suggests weakly.

"How about the way he moves, then? Swinging on that bike like it's a horse or something."

"Maybe he used to ride horses before he joined the Guard," Armin rolls his eyes, "Really Eren, why are you so obsessed with him?"

Eren suddenly has a vision. Levi's riding a horse next to Erwin, there are dozens of people on horses behind them. They all wear emerald capes. The image dissipates as soon as it's materialized, leaving him reeling. He stares at Armin as he rubs his temples.

"You got any theories on how it's all connected?"

"A couple." He averts his eyes. "Nothing I want to share at the moment."

"What? Come on!"

"I think," Armin starts, so quietly that Eren has to lean forward to catch the words, "I think that there is more going on than we realize."

"So you agree!" Eren points at him excitedly. "I knew it!"

"That doesn't mean we have to make it our business." Armin points out and bites his lip.

"Armin! Who are you talking to up there?"

Eren jumps at the strong voice shouting downstairs. The blond scrambles to his feet and opens his door a bit.

"I've got a friend over, grandpa. Sorry for not telling you," he shouts back down.

Footsteps sound on the stairs and soon a stout old man is standing in the door. He's wearing a straw hat and smiling broadly. 

"Hello there, I'm Armin's grandfather," he introduces himself.

"I'm Eren Jäger," he replies.

Grandfather's brows twitch with surprise. "Oh? The Eren I keep hearing so much about?"

"Well, I've been gone for some time," Eren grins. 

"In a town like this news spread like wildfire," Grandfather nods with a small grin. "Have you guys eaten yet? I was about to make diner."

"Grandfather, Eren's staying the night. Hope that's okay."

"Sure sure, now come on downstairs and help me."

Eren dutifully follows them downstairs and helps Armin set the table. From the blond's animated chatter and the way grandfather keeps smiling at him he guesses that they don't get many guests. The way they make him feel so very welcome is nice. It makes something in his chest unclench and he lets them lead the conversation, listening to their anecdotes. Names are thrown around, some of them familiar. 

"Say, when did Smith become mayor?" He asks during a lull in conversation.

"Oh, I think that was some fifteen years ago. He took over from his old man, who was the previous mayor," Grandfather recalls with a fond expression. "A chip off the old block, he is. Has his father's face and determination to serve this town as best as he can."

"No one ever raised an eyebrow at that?" He has to ask, because he doesn't trust Erwin despite everything.

Grandfather raises his bushy brows. "Well, no. It's not that uncommon."

"Eren has some sort of amnesia," Armin throws in. "He doesn't remeber living in this town, so he doesn't remember all the good things mayor Smith did. Like the orphanage he built for the children of the people who died in the church fire."

"What?" Eren asks with horror.

"Ah, yes," Grandfather looks down at his plate with a troubled expression. "It was a real tragedy."

"They never found out how it happened. It was during Sunday mass..."

"Our graveyard grew half its size in just one night," Grandfather adds darkly. "Armin's parents perished there, too."

If Eren's eyes could grow wider they would. He stares at the blond, who's looking down at his half eaten food with an old sadness on his face, and feels terribly guilty for bringing this up. It seems all he does is fuck up. Damn his brain and this stupid amnesia thing. He grabs Armin's hand under the table and squeezes.

"I didn't realize. I'm sorry."

Armin shakes his head and squeezes back. "It's alright, Eren."

Alright my ass, he thinks before letting go. Grandfather gives him a small grateful nod.

"Now boys, finish up. It's getting late and I'm tired."

Eren stays to help him wash the dishes while Armin goes upstairs to set up the guest bed. While he's scrubbing plates his eyes keep wandering around the room. Thoughts and impressions swirl around his brain and he can't quite let them go. Everything's new and familiar. Eren wants to call his sister to let her voice soothe his frayed nerves. He doesn't call in the end, doesn't want to worry her. Mikasa is the kind of overprotective sister who would book the next flight home if she thinks he's in trouble. And anway, he's relied on her support all his life without being able to give anything back. Even though she insists there is no debt to be paid Eren feels otherwise. He doesn't intend to add onto that tab anymore now that he can look out for himself. He'll just have to deal with this. Six more days and he'll leave this all behind. 

"Long day, huh?" Grandfather asks with a sympathetic smile, accepting a plate to dry it with his towel. 

"You can say that again," Eren sighs. 

His eyes land on a string of garlic hung up next to the backdoor. "Huh?"

Grandfather's eyes follow his gaze. A serious expression grows on his face. He puts the plate down on the counter with a clak that seems to echo in the room.

"That's a lot of garlic," Eren says slowly. 

"And for good reason," Grandfather replies. 

Eren waits, but the old man seems reluctant to say more. "Why'd you hang it up there?"

"It helps keep the flies away."

"Is there any chance you-"

"Look, Eren. You said you were going to stay for a week."

"Yes."

Grandfather lets out a long breath and looks out of the kitchen window into the dark backyard. There are two fairly large and well kept vegetable patches. He remembers what Armin said about the Thespians and wonders if it wasn't a joke after all. 

"Why don't we keep things nice and simple, hm?"

"I doubt that anything's simple in this weird town," Eren retorts dryly and dries his hands after unplugging the sink. 

"That's true. Have you never considered that forgetting the past might be a blessing?"

They stare at each other and Eren is on the verge of telling him off when Armin comes back downstairs. He shakes his head at Grandfather once. Armin stops by the table and glances between them worriedly.

"Everything ok?" He asks nervously.

"Yeah yeah, let's go upstairs," Eren huffs as he turns away without another word. 

"Goodnight, boys," Grandfather calls after them.

"Night," Armin calls back and then it's just the two of them.

Once the door closes behind the two young men, Armin grabs his sleeve. 

"What did you and grandfather talk about?" 

Eren can tell that he's worried and feels a twinge of guilt in his chest. He can't just let things go, that simply not who he is. 

"It was nothing, don't worry about it."

"It's never nothing with you. It's like you're a magnet for trouble. Ever since we were little.."

"Look, we didn't fight or anything. You know how I am, I never know when to shut up."

Eren starts to strip out of his clothes. It's a mild summer evening so he reckons sleeping in his underwear is ok. The guest bed they set up is basically a camping cot, but it'll do for one night. He's slept in worse places. 

"There's a bathroom across the hall, mind if I go in first?" Armin asks in between yawns. 

"Go ahead," Eren mutters and rubs his head.

He's still not over the tide of what he thinks was memories battering against his brain and can't help but feel regret. What if he had learned all the secrets of his past at once? It might have hurt, but it would be better than being treated like a freak. The blond shuffles out of the room with his pajamas in hand. Eren flops down on the cot and winces at the creak it elicts. There's a window next to Armin's bed and he can see the street from his position. Gentle orange streetlight filters through the white curtains. A deep sense of comfort and safety grows in his chest. This is familiar. They probably had many sleepovers as kids. Eren wishes he could remember for the first time in years. Only when the door creaks and light filters through the crack does he realize he started dozing off. Eren gets up with a groan and goes to wash up. When he comes back Armin's lying in bed wrapped up in his covers and watching him with a fond smile. It makes Eren look away feeling strangely touched. 

"I'm glad you're here," Armin tells him quietly. "I really am, Eren."

"That sounds so sappy," he complains as he flops down on his cot again. "You really miss me that much? I'm pretty sure I got you in trouble a lot."

"It never got boring with you around. Mikasa, too. Life's possibilities seemed endless." There's a shifting sound as Armin moves on the bed. "When you left, it felt like you took the sun with you."

It's so quiet he almost misses it. Eren frowns a little, but he's too tired to think anymore.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, Eren wakes up slowly from a deep and restful slumber. He blinks rapidly at the sunlight hitting his face and looks around dizzily, momentarily disoriented. He relaxes once he remembers where he is and puts and arm over his eyes. There's water running somewhere and he can hear cars dive by occasionally. Briefly he feels a sense of guilt for not having done anything productive yet. Semester holidays are only three more weeks and he hadn't planned on spending more than one in this town. Then again, he didn't really have plans. There wasn't enough money for him to travel and he wouldn't want to without Mikasa, anyway. Going down that path of thought feels dangerous so he focuses on more immediate issues, like the fact that he left his suitcase in the inn. A stab of worry goes through him, making his guts seize up. What if it isn't there anymore? Would Mrs. Kirschstein keep his stuff? He sits up abruptly and feels cold sweat break out on his neck when the doorbell rings.   
Moments later there's the sound of heavy footsteps on the stairs. Without warning the door to Armin's room opens and Eren has to do a double take, because the guy who stands there seems to fill out the entire doorframe. The guy, who has short blond hair and a square jaw with a chiseled chin that could make the gods cry, blinks and stares. He's wearing a black muscle shirt, to which he has every right, and camouflage cargo shorts. A muscle in his jaw jumps and then he's frowning. Alarm bells ring in Eren's mind, because he looks like every jock that's ever given him shit combined. 

"And who are you?" He asks bluntly and crosses his impressive arms.

"Eren Jäger," he drawls, suddenly aware that he's not wearing a shirt. 

"What are you doing here?" 

"What's this, an interrogation?" Eren demands impatiently. "Who the hell are you?"

"Reiner. Reiner Braun," he replies slowly as he gives him an once over. "I don't think I've seen you around."

A door closes somewhere behind Reiner, followed by a surprised noise.

"Reiner? You weren't supposed to come over until 12," Armin says.

Reiner's expression clears as he turns towards Armin. The shorter boy's hair is wet and he has a towel slung around his neck. He glances quickly between Reiner and Eren, comes to a conclusion and smiles placatingly.

"I see you met Eren. We used to be best friends until he moved away," he announces as he slips past Reiner to get to his closet. "He's staying for a week and I let him crash here."

"Ah," says Reiner.

"Eren, this is Reiner. I tutor him in math twice a week."

"I see."

He's definitely noticing the way Reiner's expression brightens whenever he looks at his friend. Somehow Eren gets the impression that he's actually an ok guy when it comes down to it. Armin finally digs out a beige shirt and puts it on before he turns around to face them.

"Hey Eren, what are your plans for today? Do you want to go back to your house?" Armin asks while he keeps glancing at Reiner.

Suspicion takes root in Eren's mind as he considers him. "I guess," he replies slowly. "If you have other obligations, you don't need to keep me company."

"Will you really be okay on your own? I can call someone to guide you around town if you want. Sasha or Connie might be free."

"It's fine, Armin. I didn't mean to intrude," Reiner puts in. "I'm sorry for being early. I didn't expect you to have company."

"No, it's fine," Armin makes a move toward the taller guy, who shrugs uncomfortably.

Eren is beginning to feel genuinely freaked out when Armin actually goes over and Reiner's ears turn red. He never really considered Armin as a sexual being, he always just assumed that his books were all the company he needed. Which, in retrospect is pretty stupid, but Eren's oblivious when it comes to that stuff. It's more Mikasa's area of expertise. Even so he's beginning to form a theory. When Armin looks back at him his eyes widen and a faint blush grows on his cheeks.

"O-of course only if Eren doesn't mind."

Now he's on the recieving end of a death glare much sooner than expected. Eren's grin is full of teeth when he shrugs magnanimously. 

"Nah, it's fine. I'll go check on the upper floors today. It'll be fine. You just do.. whatever," he says with a wave of his hand.

Armin flushes and looks anywhere but at Reiner, who gives him a grateful nod. Before he does anything he might regret, Eren gets up and puts on his old clothes. He doesn't give a shit about Reiner seeing him in his underwear. When he's clothed and made sure his wallet is where it belongs, he walks around the two blondes and heads for the stairs.

"You can stay over tonight as well," Armin pokes his head out of his room.

Eren stops with a cheeky grin. "You sure you won't be busy?"

"E-Eren! Of course not. I d-don't know what you're talking about!" Armin squeaks, face flushed.

"Well alright then," he grins smugly as he heads downstairs.

Grandfather left some sandwiches on the counter. Eren grabs one without looking and heads outside. It's a bright beautiful day of early summer. He heads through the frontyard and onto the street, looking both ways before he decides to go left. Vaguely he remembers that that was the right direction. As he walks past the neighbor's house he gets a glimpse of their backyard. There's a flower patch that looks absolutely devastated. He stumbles to a stop with wide eyes. Plants have been ripped from the soil and strewn about, clumps of dark brown earth have been flung everywhere including the house wall and it looks like a wild horde romped through. It's so utterly unexpcted to see such an act of destruction on this beautiful day that it makes a shiver run down his back. He resumes walking and remembers that this town isn't quite normal after all.   
Once he makes it to the market he's pleased to find that they have a map of the entire town on display with a red dot telling him where he's standing. People, mostly middle aged and old, are milling about. He remembers Armin mentioning that there is a school somewhere and tries to remember when the holidays for students start, but it's been a while. He spots his old street Shiganshina Street on the map and remembers that it's named after Marienwall's sister city in Japan. Funny, he thinks, the city doesn't even exist anymore.   
A slight breeze picks up and ruffles through his hair. His bangs have grown so long that they tickle the tip of his nose and the back of his hair touches his shoulders now. Eren considers getting a cut, but shrugs it off in the end. Mikasa likes it long and he doesn't really care either way. 

"Oi you!" An obnoxious voice cuts through his thoughts. "The guy standing around uselessly! Yes you!"

Eren's brows twitch with annoyance as he turns and finds a lanky guy with a long face heading straight for him. He has a nasty grin and Eren instantly feels annoyed at the sight. 

"What do you want?"

"Don't you remember me, Jäger? I'm hurt!" He fakes hurt and grasps at his chest when he comes to stand before him. 

Eren merely narrows his eyes. The guy raises both brows in challenge, but he's not about to show his hand.

"Not gonna say anything?" The guy tsk's and crosses his arms. 

"I don't," Eren snaps, annoyed that he has to rehash this every goddamn time. "Not that I regret it."

That gives the guy pause. His arms uncross slowly as he frowns. "You fucking with me, Jäger? So what everyone's saying is true?"

"Yes."

"Damn. Whatever happened to you, man? I can't believe I have to introduce myself to you. How annoying."

"Tell me about it," Eren grunts.

"Hmph. I'm Jean Kirschstein. Better remember it this time, cause I'm not repeating myself. This is awkward enough."

"Eren Jäger."

"I know that, dipshit."

"Fuck you I'm being polite!"

They glare at each other for a few tense beats until Jean starts cackling. Eren relaxes and rubs his neck with a small grin. Jean is a few centimeters taller than him and has the same light brown hair as his mom. He's wearing jeans and a white button up shirt, which doesn't suit him very well. It feels like they've known each other forever and it's never been easy. 

"At any rate, mom wants me to tell you that you left your case in one of the rooms. Lucky for you, she's packed it up and keeping it in the lobby. Better go get it soon." Jean snorts and runs a hand through his undercut. 

"I was gonna do that anyway," he retorts.

Jean shrugs and waves at him before he heads off. "Later, loser," he calls over his shoulder.

Eren gives his turned back the finger and decides to stop by the Inn after he's been to his house. It shouldn't take long and he really wants to be rid of it. The place looks fairly normal, but it's giving him bad vibes. He wanders through the streets and marvels at the cleanliness. It's probably all thanks to Levi and his Guard. Whenever he thinks of the shorter man he can help but feel a strange thrill of anticipation in his guts. Like he's unconsciously waiting for something, anything, to happen. He can't explain it so he tries to forget about it. 

It's easier now to orient himself and he even finds a small convenience store two streets from his destination. It's a tiny cornershop with an actual doorbell that rings when he enters. There's two rows of various snacks and utilities and one for magazines. Besides him and the elderly cashier, there's only one other person in the shop and she appears to be reading a fashion mag. His gaze lingers on her deep black hair and he wonders briefly if it's her natural color before he starts looking for food. There's a small refrigerated counter next to the register with several freshly made sandwiches and muffins.

"Morning. I'd like the ham sandwich to go please," he says and fishes for his wallet.

"Certainly. Would you like something to drink as well?" She asks as she places his food in a brown paper bag. 

Eren's eyes land on a water bottle and a small grin grows on his face. "Yeah, I would."

"That one?" She follows his gaze and picks it out of the shelf. "Let's see.. That'll be 4.18 € please."

"That's a good brand. They produce regionally," a soft voice says behind him.

Eren turns around to find the dark haired woman smiling at him. Her eyes are a striking blue even brighter than Armin's, framed by long black lashes. She has a heart shaped face and her smile is infectious. Eren suddenly feels awkward and clumsy. He fumbles with his wallet and nearly drops the 5 Euro bill twice before he manages to pay, only to realize that he never replied to her. His neck feels hot as he desperately tries to come up with anything to say. The woman lets out a soft huff and cocks her head to the side.

"Oh pardon me, I didn't even introduce myself yet. You must think me terribly rude," she says with a glance to the side. Her cheeks dust pink and Eren's mouth feels dry. "I'm Sara Frey. Nice to meet you."

He takes her offered hand and shakes it once before the spell is broken. "No, don't be sorry. I'm Eren Jäger, nice to meet you, too!"

Sara gives him another brilliant smile before she reaches around him and takes his bag. Eren blinks when she gently pushes it into his arms. His face heats when he notices that she's been waiting to pay for her own stuff while he was busy making an idiot of himself. The woman behind the counter lets out a chuckle.

"Same as usual, dear?"

"Of course," Sara replies once he's made room for her and hands over a ten euro bill.

He watches her pay for two cups of coffee to go and her magazine. Sara's wearing a navy blouse and a pair of tight fitting jeans. No jewelry, which is a plus in his opinion. She looks stylish either way, with her hair twisted up in a bun and her face framed artfully by a few black strands. Once she's paid she turns to him with a smile.

"Want to walk for a bit, Jäger? I'm headed for the mayor's office. Did you know that Marienwall is one of the few towns where it's not located in the city centre?" She starts talking once they leave the shop.

He follows along as if pulled by a magnet. Sara is a very animated talker, gesturing with her coffee cups. He doesn't mind the chatter. The air is fresh and clean, the sun shines brightly and he's not going out of his way. 

"You're not from around here, are you?" She asks suddenly and gives him a curious look. "You have that outsider-air about you."

"What does that mean?" He asks with raised brows.

"It's just. Hm." She shakes her head. "Difficult to explain. I've been working at the office for only five years, but I've been told I don't have it anymore. Guess I've acclimatized."

Her laugh is infectious and Eren grins along. "I've actually lived here before, but that was seven years ago."

"Oh?" She stops laughing and looks at him with genuine interest. "So you're an ex-pat, so to speak?"

"Yeah."

"How interesting. We don't get many of those."

"What, so no one's ever left this town before? Hard to imagine." He lets out a laugh, but shuts up quickly when he sees her troubled expression.

"No.. I guess. The people of this town are extraordinarily loyal to it. Few have ever left and only to move to Rosenburg or Sinaheim, the neighbouring towns. They're both half an hour's drive away at most. I looked it up in the town registry once. It's quite the phenomenon, really."

"Huh, that's weird," Eren agrees.

"Yeah. It's even more rare that people from further away move here, like me," she winks at him. "Though I gotta say I recieved a warm welcome. You see, I was fresh from uni and just passing through when I met Mayor Smith at Blouse's diner. We talked a bit and he immediately offered me a job as his assistant. It was lucky as I'd almost run out of gas money."

"You're Smith's assistant?" 

"Yeah. Sorry for ranting at you, by the way." She looks down at her feet. "I hope you don't mind."

"No, it's fine. I really don't mind," he rushes to reassure her and smiles when she looks up at him with a faint blush. 

They cross the street at the street light and find themselves in front of a large government building. It's built from grey stone in the neo-Gothic style complete with arched windows. Sara stops and looks up with a small grin. Eren tries to follow her gaze, but all he sees are the two spooky gargoyles at the sides of the building.

"This is the mayor's office. You've probably guessed that much," she says with a small chuckle and looks up at him in a way that makes his stomach clench. "Thanks for walking with me. I know I can be a bit annoying with my babbling about the town's history."

"It's alright, it was interesting." 

"You think so?" She asks enthusiastically. 

"Sure." Eren grins at the way her eyes light up. "I wouldn't mind learning more whenever you have time."

It's the truth. He can't help the burning curiosity where Marienwall is concerned. All the questions he never asked himself are pushing their way to the forefront of his mind now and he's never been good at leaving things be. Maybe he can find a way to re-connect to his past if he learns more about the town he used to live in. Sara seems like she really knows her stuff, and her closeness to Smith might come in handy. Eren feels bad for thinking that way, but he justfies it with his distrust of Smith. That aside.. he really does like her. Sara's beaming at him now, which is a pretty good sign.

"Yeah, I'd like that. I can give you my number. Let's meet up sometime." With that she tears off a small strip from her magazine and procures a pen.

Eren watches her scribble down a few numbers and accepts the paper with a smile. 

"Now I gotta get back to work before the coffee goes cold," she says with a wink and lifts the two cups in question. "See you later, Eren!"

"Have fun," he calls after her and pockets the slip as he watches her climb the five steps to the main entrance.

Truth to be told, the office gives him the creeps. It's an oddly gloomy looking building in such a picturesque town. He feels the hair at the back of his neck rise with the feeling of being watched and looks up at the facade. He could swear he sees a curtain move on the top floor, but it might be his imagination. Eren decides to get on with it and heads down the street. It's starting to cloud over and he hurries up, unwilling to get drenched. Once he made it through the front yard and to the door he begins to fumble around his pockets for the keys. When he doesn't find them he panics. 

"Shit shit, fucking shit," he curses as he digs through the pockets of his jeans. "Where? Oh hell, don't tell me I left them."

It's getting dark and the wind picks up. Eren peeks up past the narrow porch roof and sees the first drops begin to fall. He punches the door once and curses. There's no way he's going back to Armin's in the rain. Casting furtive glances around he decides to screw it and force his way in. It's his place, he can just replace the locks later. Seeing no one around he takes a step back and considers the door. The neighbour's car is gone and on the other side of the house is just forest. 

"Right. This isn't a crime," he reassures himself as he shifts his weight on his back leg.

He takes a deep breath and throws all of his weight in the kick. The door rattles in its frame, but doesn't give. Some of the white paint chips off as he stumbles back. His heart's hammering and he tells himself to keep it cool as he gets ready for another kick. This time he kicks it even harder and it works. Wood splinters off around the lock as the door flies open and crashes against the wall. Eren slips inside and surveys the damage. His hands are trembling as he quickly shuts the door behind him, but it doesn't stay closed. Seeing as it can't be helped he decides to just get it over with. He's already feeling queasy as he tries to flip the switch only to find that the lights don't work. Obviously. 

"Dammit," he curses as he watches the hallway. 

It's getting darker, but he can still see. The stairs creak and his steps make clouds of dust puff up into the air. A layer of it is gathering on his jeans, making him wince. Eren hears a creak in one of the rooms and stops with wide eyes. His brain's screaming that something isn't right and it's making his heart beat faster. Suddenly he's aware of the layout of the entire house. That creak came from his parent's old room. 

"S-stop it," he mumbles and balls his hands into fists. "You're being dumb."

Inch by inch he goes down the hallway. Through the large window at the end he can see the dark woods. Eren stops when he hears rattled breathing. Slowly the door next to him begins to open. From the darkness within all he can see is the eyes. Then it's on him. Eren screams as he hits the floor. 

"Ssoooo hungryyy...." It moans.

It's an it. Eren has never seen anything like that. Survival instinct kicks in and he trashes around beneath the disgusting wiry form of the creature. It's shaped like a human, but a very skinny one clad in threadbare rags. Long dirty fingernails bite into his skin. He jerks away from a sluggish punch and tries to scoot away, but then it's hand closes around his lower arm and yanks. Beneath a mop of flithy blond hair appears a huge mouth full of pointy teeth that remind of him of a shark. Eren tries to punch it in the face and gets thrown into the wall for his efforts. He sees stars and little white spots in front of his eyes. How his legs manage to hold him up will always be a mystery. It's advancing on him slowly. His life doesn't flash in front of his eyes. Movement to the far right catches his eyes. Something metallic glints in the low light. 

"S-someone! Anyone!" He tries to yell, but it comes out as a whimper.

The creature lets out an angry wail and charges. Eren tries to dodge it, anything to get away, and falls over his own feet. He hits the hardwood floor and it knocks the breath out of him. This time his vision's swimming. Then comes the pain. It kicks his brain in motion and snaps it back in focus. His lower right arm is on fire. Eren screams as the creature sinks its fangs deep into his flesh. He's too weak to trash. Thunder crashes outside, followed by a bright flash that illuminates the hallway. Someone's standing at the stairs. They're holding two long blades. It goes dark again. Suddenly they're standing above the creature and raising their blades. The mop of blond hair twitches back from Eren suddenly. It's bloody mouth is wide open as it shrieks in agony. Thunder and lightnig come again and this time Eren sees him. Levi raises his blades with a calm expression and slashes at the creature's neck with enough force to halfway decapitate it. As its body hits the floor with a thud the two men look at each other. Eren's whole body is shaking and he feels feverish yet numb with shock. Levi stares down at him with a mildly bored look, as if they'd been discussing taxes.

"You brat again," is the first thing he says. "You're nothing but trouble."

"L-Levi.." he stutters.

Flinty blue grey eyes narrow suddenly as he kneels down in front of him. "Let me see your arm."

He lifts the mangled limb without waiting for an answer and studies it. His expression is hard to read as he lets go and unties his cravat. Eren watches mutely as he takes the pristine white cloth and ties it around his bloody arm.

"W-what are you doing?"

"Making sure you don't bleed out until I get you to Hanji. Stop talking," he adds with a sharp glance.

Eren obeys and winces when Levi ties the cloth really tightly. Once he's done he stands up and offers him his hand. Eren feels sort of dizzy but doesn't want to look weak, so he pushes himself up into a kneeling position. 

"Nape of the neck," he murmurs as he waits for the world to stop spinning, "Two clean strikes."

"What the hell are you mumbling about?"

Eren looks up slowly and sees two Levis layered over each other. One is wearing an emerald cape and some sort of metal contraption around his hips. The headache is sudden and crushing. Eren moans in pain and clutches at his head. It feels like his skull is splitting open. Spots start dancing in his vision. 

"Oi, stop slacking and get up," Levi sounds annoyed when he grabs his arm and yanks him up with surprising strenght. 

Eren wobbles on his legs, barely aware of the smaller man's steadying arm around him. "I... don't think I can walk."

"Shitty brat, I'm not carrying you."

"What was that..thing?"

"Now's not the time, brat."

"My name is Eren."

Levi freezes beside him. Eren blinks with pain and confusion as he looks down into two widening eyes. 

"You've got to be kidding me."

"I- ugh. I feel sick."

It hits him like a sledgehammer and he promptly keels over and empties his stomach on Levi's boots. Three rounds later and Eren wipes at his mouth. When he gingerly stands back up Levi's face is a stony mask. 

"You're going to clean these boots until they sparkle." He states blankly. "They're worth more than everything you own, do you understand?"

"Y-yes. Sorry!"

Levi grabs him and physically drags him downstairs when his legs refuse to cooperate. Eren has no time to admire his strenght as the headache is pounding his brain to mush and his arm hurts like a bitch. Levi lets out a tsk when they pass the trashed front door and find a black van parked on the street. It's got the crossed pair of wings painted on the side, leaving no doubt as to who owns it. Its engine comes to life as soon as they're on their way through the front yard. Eren blinks weakly and sees two people inside. One is a blond moustached man on the passenger seat and the other is a bespectaled woman behind the streering wheel. Her expression lights up in a disturbing fashion when she spots them. The side door slides open, revealing another woman with orange hair and gentle brown eyes. She looks worriedly between them and comes out to help Levi drag him inside. Eren gets dumped on a cot that's been attached to the wall and the side door slides shut. He's just grateful to be lying down and closes his eyes as he feels the van drive off. There's a muttered conversation beside him to which he pays no attention. Moments later he's out cold.


End file.
